Mark sat at the head of the dark wooden dining table.
The morning sun poured softly through the large kitchen windows.
He was a hardworking architect who loved his quiet family mornings.
His eight year old daughter Lily was sitting right next to him.
Lily was quietly drawing pictures with her colorful wax crayons.
Mark smiles warm as he watched his little girl draw a sunny day.
His wife Sarah was standing near the sparkling granite counter.
Sarah was carefully preparing Mark his usual morning cup of hot tea.
She had been making his special tea every morning for three months.
Mark always appreciated how attentive Sarah seemed to be every single day.
Mark: Thank you for making the tea, Sarah.
Sarah: You work so hard for us every day, honey.
Sarah placed the steam filled white teacup directly in front of Mark.
She smiled down at him with a warm and gentle expression.
Sarah: Drink it while it is still nice and hot.
Mark: You always take such good care of my health.
Mark reached out his hand to pick up the smooth cup.
He felt tired because he had been working late on a huge project.
His high stress job was bringing a lot of money into their estate.
Mark had recently updated his full life insurance policy for his family.
He wanted to ensure his daughter had a secured trust fund forever.
Sarah: You look so exhausted today, my dear husband.
Sarah: The warm herbs will help you feel much better soon.
Mark lifted the teacup close to his mouth to take a sip.
He smelled a faint bit of a strange bitter scent in the steam.
He thought it was just a new natural herb Sarah bought recently.
Suddenly, Lily dropped her yellow crayon onto the hardwood floor.
She looked up at her father with wide and terrified eyes.
Lily: Daddy, don't drink it!
Mark paused with the cup held right near his open lips.
He looked down at his young daughter in total confusion.
Mark: What did you say, Lily?
Lily: Put the cup down right now, Daddy!
Sarah stepped forward quickly with a stiff and nervous laugh.
Sarah: Lily, stop making noise while your father drinks his tea.
Sarah: Go back to drawing your pretty pictures right now.
Lily stood up from her chair and pointed right at Sarah.
Lily: Mommy put chemicals in it! Give it to her first!
Mark stared at his young daughter with total shock in his eyes.
The entire room became completely silent for several tense seconds.